I always feel a bit defensive when a cashier holds my money up to a light to see if it’s counterfeit. I understand the skepticism, though––no one wants to get scammed.
If you’re in England, you can feel a bill for raised printed words. A hologram will show a changing number when you tilt the note, and the Queen of England appears when you hold it up to the light! On the back of the bill, you’ll see a line of silver dashes that will show a dark line when held to a light.
For those of us in the U.S., check for a black seal from the Federal Reserve Bank and checked for raised printing on the back of the bill. Bills should also have red and blue fibers in the back.
U.S. coins can also be counterfeited. Check the portrait and lettering on the coin and look for “In God We Trust” on the portrait side. If you’re interested in even more facts about cash, check out our post with fun facts about money.